BOOK REVIEW: The Seduction of Scandal by Cathy Maxwell

Avon Romance Sept 1 2011

384 pages By Cathy Maxwell

BLURB ON BACK OF BOOK:

It’s never wise to blackmail a highwayman.

Lady Corinne, rebellious daughter of the duke of Banfield, refuses to marry Lord Freddie Sherwin. Yes, he’s the catch of the Season and the man her father chose for her. He’s also the most despicable male of her acquaintance. With her wedding only weeks away, she flees and finds herself a prisoner of the notorious Thorn!

Who says the devil isn’t a woman?

The rich and powerful tremble at the highwayman’s name, while England’s villagers rejoice in his bold exploits. His identity is a secret; his life a mystery— until Lady Corinne tumbles into his arms. If the Thorn wants her silence, he must hide her until her wedding day passes. It’s a devil’s bargain and one that can only lead to a hangman’s noose.

Corinne believes it the perfect plan—until her highwayman reveals a passionate lover’s heart, and she realizes that in the seduction of scandal, she may have found the hero she’s been waiting for her whole life.
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I adored this book! It had humor, romance and adventure all in an enchanting mix as only Cathy Maxwell can do. This is the fifth and final book in Cathy's 'Scandals and Seduction' series.

This book is another one for me where I preferred the hero over the heroine. Lady Corrine is very spunky. I hate spunk. Well, to a point. Corinne is the daughter to a Duke and is furious she is being made to marry the rakish Lord Freddie Sherwin. Her self-absorbed parents will not listen to her prognostications of impending disaster. There is a giggle worthy scene on how she finds Freddie and a maid.
Corinne hatches a scheme of escape and hides in a carriage that is suddenly held up by the notorious highwayman Thorn. A melee ensues and Corinne finds herself shot in the shoulder. What can the highwayman do but take the injured lady?

I am not sure I should be giving Thorn's identity away, so I don't think I will. But Thorn is an amazing mix of a dashing Robin Hood who is not only handsome but very honorable. He has his reasons for taking to the footpaths. Thorn also struggles to hide his Thorn identity from his real life one. Corinne recovers quite quickly and manages to become a 'thorn' in Thorn's side. But beneath their verbal sparing is a red hot attraction. Corrine has a reputation in society, she is called 'The Unattainable', Thorn can readily see why. 'The lure of a siren mixed with the scorn of a harpy.' I love Thorn's description of her, it  pretty much sums her up. But Corrine isn't all bad, she find Thorn very attractive and he is physically and otherwise. An honorable outlaw. Very appealing. The model on the cover of the book fits his physical description to a tee.

The hero and heroine keep the book moving along and there are secondary characters aplenty to keep the plot humming. I also enjoyed the few unexpected twists and turns and the genuinely heartfelt moments in this story. I grew to like Corrine more as the story progressed. Spunk certainly came in handy for getting Thorn's attention. He thought himself far beneath her. Corinne sets him straight. 'I think I might be in love' she tells him flat out.

This all builds to a rousing adventurous climax and the loose ends are tied up nicely. Thorn is adorable, heroic and honorable, a fantastic hero who feels things deeply not only for 'his Cory' but the people in the village. A wonderful emotional read.

3.5 out of 4 for the book